Archive for February, 2010

3 Japanese injured after Sea Shepherd acid attack

Three Japanese whalers have suffered minor injuries after yet another violent attack from the radical animal rights group Sea Shepherd:

The protest boats, which sail under Dutch and Togolese flags, had earlier targeted its factory ship the Nisshin Maru – nicknamed “the floating abbatoir” by Sea Shepherd activitists – and had been following it for several days in the lead up to the skirmish yesterday afternoon.

“The Dutch and Togolese ships continued for several hours their attack launching many butyric-acid projectiles and smoke bombs against the Nisshin Maru,” the institute said in a statement.

The Bob Barker repeatedly fired a high-power illegal laser weapon against the Japanese crew. The Bob Barker also came directly across the bow of the Nisshin Maru deploying wire hawsers intended to sabotage its rudder and propeller.

“At about 2300 hours, three of the Shonan Maru No. 2 sailors who were readying to prevent any activist illegal boarding became victims of the Sea Shepherd projectiles, receiving acid-splash chemical injury to their eyes and face.”

Sea Shepherd have said that they are throwing “harmless” rancid butter that is “not toxic.” While it may not be as terrible as other chemicals, a check of MSDS data reveals it to be harmful and toxic:

Harmful if swallowed or inhaled. Corrosive. Extremely unpleasant smell may cause nausea. Liquid may burn skin and eyes. Readily absorbed through the skin. Severe skin, eye and respiratory irritant.

Here’s how FTV news covered the story yesterday:

We are shown some footage of recent Sea Shepherd attacks on the Japanese whaling fleet, including one clip in which a Sea Shepherd member laughs with glee as his ship collides with a Japanese vessel. FTV also mentions the laser attacks, the stringing of wires to block ships, and the dangerous use of a mini helicopter.

Hilariously, a clip of Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson denying that they ever threw acid at the Japanese whalers is played while we are shown a photo of Watson doing just that. The results of a Japanese government study confirmed that the bottles being thrown at the Japanese did indeed contain harmful acid.

The second half of the report moves on to Sea Shepherd’s recent declaration of war on “illegal” bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean. As if to openly take a piss on Sea Shepherd, FTV has one of its reporters eat bluefin tuna as she talks about the issue. After she comments on how great it tastes, the narrator explains that Japan, which consumes most of the bluefin tuna caught in the world’s oceans, would be in trouble if the Mediterranean supply was cut off. Europe is leaning towards support of a ban on the trade in bluefin tuna, but it is apparently not yet illegal.

When the report finishes, one of the news anchors in the studio shows her frustration by saying that the Sea Shepherd people really are “like terrorists” in their disregard for international law.

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Coming Soon: Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto

Japan Rail is running commercials to remind us that winter will be over soon, so we should start planning trips to Kyoto so we can enjoy the cherry blossoms:

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Strange choco-foods for Valentine’s Day

A Japanese news reporter visits two restaurants in Tokyo to experience chocolate hamburg and chocolate ramen, limited time special dishes being offered in honor of Valentine’s Day:

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Video: Cloudy With a Chance of Ramen

I usually don’t post touristy stuff here, but this video by Clorinth is quite cool:

Decided to make a video of my recent travels to Japan. All shot in 1080 HD on my Sony SR11. I’m hoping this video will inspire people to travel or create a desire to go to Japan =)

Some of the shots include Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hejime, Hiroshima, and Nagano. Hope you enjoy

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Yet another Japanese apology to Korea

CNN has an article up about a new Japanese apology to Korea:

Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Thursday apologized to South Korea for the more than three decades when Japan ruled over Korea, calling the time a “tragic incident.”

Okada made the rare apology during a joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, Korean state-run media reported.

“I believe it was a tragic incident for Koreans when they were deprived of their nation and their identity,” Okada said, according to the Yonhap news agency.

“I can fully understand the feelings of (Koreans) who were deprived of their identity and nation. I believe we must never forget the victims,” he added.

[...]

At least one other Japanese leader has apologized for the era.

In 2001, then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi acknowledged the “enormous damage” inflicted by Japan’s military “by colonization and invasion.”

A “rare” apology? “At least one other Japanese leader” has made a similar statement of apology? CNN sure is emphasizing the notion that this apology is something new and significant, as if Japanese leaders had been deliberately avoiding making such statements until now. A glance at a Digg dot com comment thread responding to the CNN story seems to show that many people have read the article and been given the impression that Japan has never apologized for its pre-1945 actions.

Just for the record, allow me to quote some Korea-specific entries from Wikipedia’s really long list of Japanese government apologies:

22 June 1965. Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiina Etsusaburo. “In our two countries’ long history there have been unfortunate times, it is truly regrettable and we are deeply remorseful” (Signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea).

26 August 1982. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa. “1. The Japanese Government and the Japanese people are deeply aware of the fact that acts by our country in the past caused tremendous suffering and damage to the peoples of Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China, and have followed the path of a pacifist state with remorse and determination that such acts must never be repeated. Japan has recognized, in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, of 1965, that the ‘past relations are regrettable, and Japan feels deep remorse,’ and in the Japan-China Joint Communique, that Japan is ‘keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war and deeply reproaches itself.’ These statements confirm Japan’s remorse and determination which I stated above and this recognition has not changed at all to this day. 2. This spirit in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, and the Japan-China Joint Communique, naturally should also be respected in Japan’s school education and textbook authorization. Recently, however, the Republic of Korea, China, and others have been criticizing some descriptions in Japanese textbooks. From the perspective of building friendship and goodwill with neighboring countries, Japan will pay due attention to these criticisms and make corrections at the Government’s responsibility. 3. To this end, in relation to future authorization of textbooks, the Government will revise the Guideline for Textbook Authorization after discussions in the Textbook Authorization and Research Council and give due consideration to the effect mentioned above. Regarding textbooks that have already been authorized, Government will take steps quickly to the same effect. As measures until then, the Minister of Education, Sports, Science and Culture will express his views and make sure that the idea mentioned in 2. Above is duly reflected in the places of education. 4. Japan intends to continue to make efforts to promote mutual understanding and develop friendly and cooperative relations with neighboring countries and to contribute to the peace and stability of Asia and, in turn, of the world”(Statement on History Textbooks).

6 September 1984. Emperor Hirohito. “It is indeed regrettable that there was an unfortunate past between us for a period in this century and I believe that it should not be repeated again.” (Meeting with President Chun Doo Hwan.)

1989. Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru. “As we have made clear previously at repeated opportunities, the Japanese government and the Japanese people are deeply conscious of the fact that the actions of our country in the past caused suffering and loss to many people in neighboring countries. Starting from our regret and resolve not to repeat such things a second time, we have followed a course as a “Peace Nation” since then. This awareness and regret should be emphasized especially in the relationship between our countries and the Korean peninsula, our nearest neighbors both geographically and historically. At this opportunity as we face a new situation in the Korean peninsula, again, to all peoples of the globe, concerning the relationship of the past, we want to express our deep regret and sorrow (Speech in the Japanese Diet).

24 May 1990. Emperor Akihito. “Reflecting upon the suffering that your people underwent during this unfortunate period, which was brought about by our nation, I cannot but feel the deepest remorse” (Meeting with President Roh Tae Woo).

25 May 1990. Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. “I would like to take the opportunity here to humbly reflect upon how the people of the Korean Peninsula went through unbearable pain and sorrow as a result of our country’s actions during a certain period in the past and to express that we are sorry” (Summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo in Japan).

1 January 1992. Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. “[Concerning the comfort women,] I apologize from the bottom of my heart and feel remorse for those people who suffered indescribable hardships” (Press conference).

16 January 1992. Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. “We the Japanese people, first and foremost, have to bear in our mind the fact that your people experienced unbearable suffering and sorrow during a certain period in the past because of our nation’s act, and never forget the feeling of remorse. I, as a prime minister, would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology to the people of your nation” (Speech at dinner with President Roh Tae Woo).

17 January 1992. Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. “What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation’s act.” Recently the issue of the so-called ‘wartime comfort women’ is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry” (Policy speech at the occasion of the visit to the Republic of Korea).

23 June 1996. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto. Hashimoto mentioned the aspects of Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula such as the forced Japanization of Korean people’s name and commented “It is beyond imagination how this injured the hearts of Korean people” Hashimoto also touched on the issue of Korean comfort women and said “Nothing injured the honor and dignity of women more than this and I would like to extend words of deep remorse and the heartfelt apology” (Joint press conference at summit meeting with President Kim Young Sam in South Korea).

8 October 1996. Emperor Akihito. “There was a period when our nation brought to bear great sufferings upon the people of the Korean Peninsula.” “The deep sorrow that I feel over this will never be forgotten” (Speech at dinner with President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea).

8 October 1998. Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. “Looking back on the relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea during this century, Prime Minister Obuchi regarded in a spirit of humility the fact of history that Japan caused, during a certain period in the past, tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule, and expressed his deep remorse and heartfelt apology for this fact. President Kim accepted with sincerity this statement of Prime Minister Obuchi’s recognition of history and expressed his appreciation for it. He also expressed his view that the present calls upon both countries to overcome their unfortunate history and to build a future-oriented relationship based on reconciliation as well as good-neighborly and friendly cooperation” (Japan-Republic of Korea Joint Declaration A New Japan-Republic of Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-first Century).

October 15, 2001. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. “During the talks, President Kim highly appreciated the words of the Prime Minister Koizumi at Sodaemun Independence Park, in which he expressed remorse and apology for Japan’s colonial domination” (Prime Minister Visits the Republic of Korea).

The above list doesn’t include the numerous other apologies that were directed at wider areas of Asia. If one wanted to go further, one could include every Japanese prime minister since 1995, since reaffirming a commitment to the Murayama statement has become standard protocol for new Prime Ministers.

At least one South Korean editorial is questioning the sincerity of Okada’s apology. The Korea Times, the JoongAng Daily, and Yonhap news agency have written that it was a “rare” apology.

The AFP has mentioned the South Korean government’s reaction to the apology:

South Korean officials have also said Okada’s trip would mark the beginning of efforts by both countries to put the past behind them.

There is talk of Emperor Akihito making a visit to South Korea this year, but that might not happen because the South Korean president has already made it clear that his idea of “mature Tokyo-Seoul relationship” consists of questioning the value of the Emperor’s previous apologies to Korea. President Lee Myung-bak would like to see Akihito get on his knees and grovel in apology to the Korean nation, and I just don’t see the Japanese agreeing to such an act, especially when one considers South Korea’s record of belittling and refusing to accept previous Japanese apologies.

[hat tip to Durf]

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Leonardo Dicaprio in another Japanese tire commercial

You saw the other Japanese commercial in which Leonardo Dicaprio told people to by Bridgestone tires. Now see the second in the series (with a tire coming down from heaven):

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